Smile
2010
- dental care
- fiction
- graphic novels
- orthodontics
- personal beauty
- schools
- self-esteem
- nyt:paperback_graphic_books=2011-09-24
- interpersonal relations
- theater
The story
A true story from Raina's early years. One day after girl scouts raina trips and falls damaging her two front teeth. Even after she gets her braces off she isn't treated the same. When she meets a bunch of nerdy kids she realizes they may be her true friends.
What it’s like
Bright, flat-colored cartoon panels with clean outlines and a warm, sunny palette, the kind of graphic-novel art that makes school hallways, dentist waiting rooms and a sunlit theater stage feel immediately familiar. Pages move quickly, one small moment per panel, with lots of expressive close-ups of faces and gestures that carry the emotion without much text. The sensory world is everyday and specific: sticky braces, cafeteria noise, the hum of a rehearsal room, a summer of hot pavement and bike rides. The voice is candid, funny and self-deprecating, with a middle-grade warmth that never tips into sentimentality. Vibe: cheerful, tender, a little awkward, the gentle ache of growing up. It suits a lazy afternoon, a quick cozy read on a rainy weekend, or a comfort reread when you want something light. Intensity is very low: no violence beyond a fall and a dental injury, no gore, no sexual content, mild teasing and social cruelty that resolves kindly. For readers who want an uplifting, low-stakes coming-of-age story with a hopeful, friendship-centered heart, and for anyone who enjoys graphic memoir about self-esteem and finding one's people.
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